There are two factors that make the usability of software one of the most important issues today. Both of them are closely related to the current growth of Internet technologies: (1) The quantity of software users and software products being produced and released to the market is growing exponentially; and (2) The "average software user" is more and more inexperienced. That is why usability engineering has become a very important discipline to be learned and applied to the software-development process to maintain credibility as a quality software developer and to survive in current market conditions.

This book offers a set of original usability engineering methods that can be implemented by a company in order to achieve at least acceptable usability: user and task observation, scenarios, simplified thinking aloud, and heuristic evaluation.

The book uses a step-by-step approach. It guides the reader through the practical aspects of methods implementation (using "Meta-Methods"), shows how each method of usability evaluation should be applied to a development process, and provides guidance on actual policies and processes that should be used. It also helps you determine where you need to focus your efforts in software usability testing and/or evaluation.

Inside each chapter, the reader will find a detailed examination of the principles to be used in the usability engineering lifecycle, approach to usability testing, usability assessment methods, information about international standards in this field, and future developments. The book also contains a set of very useful exercises. This gives the clear understanding of the usability considerations and the picture of the scope of work to be done in order to increase usability of the produced software.